MCC Grad Turns Internship into a Job

Recent MCC graduate David Aquino Mendoza is putting his education to work this summer in the College’s Business Office.

David earned his Associate in Arts in May 2025 and plans to transfer to the University of Illinois-Chicago to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting. But before making the move, he’s gaining hands-on experience—and putting his skills to use—right here at his alma mater.

David worked as an intern in the office this spring and was then offered a part-time position for the summer. As part of his role, he makes and enters journal entries, handles bank reconciliations, enters invoices, assists with the creation of public bids, creates purchase orders, and approves requisition forms.

“The biggest thing I work on is bank reconciliation,” he said. “It’s so important to keep our general ledger in line with the bank accounts so we don’t miss even a single cent.”

Bank reconciliation is also his favorite part of the job.  

“I enjoy the critical thinking it requires—it keeps my brain engaged. Nothing will stop me from finding even the three missing cents or the $15 chargeback,” he said.

The experience allowed David to apply what he had learned in the classroom immediately.   

“The Excel class I took was so valuable in teaching me key formulas and shortcuts,” he said. “Financial Accounting also helped with my knowledge of general ledger code.”

He also learned many things in the internship that helped him in his studies.

“My supervisor taught me several Excel tips and tricks, including more about pivot tables and how to slice and dice data with them,” he said. “When the pivot table unit came up in my Excel class, I was already a pro.”

The MCC Business Office valued his contributions just as much.  

“David quickly became an integral part of our team,” said Paula Gardner, Assistant Vice President of Finance at MCC. “What began as an internship turned into a real opportunity for him to contribute in a meaningful way. He brought great energy, a strong work ethic, and a genuine enthusiasm for accounting that made him a pleasure to work with. His professionalism, curiosity, and thoughtful approach to problem-solving made a lasting impression on our team.”

David’s ultimate career goal is to earn his Certified Public Accounting (CPA) license.

“This experience reaffirmed that accounting is definitely for me,” he said. “One day, I’d potentially like to pursue career opportunities with a non-profit—I think that would be very fulfilling.”

David initially found out about the internship opportunity while serving as MCC Student Government President. In that role, he worked closely with Cory Vlahos, Coordinator of Career Services at MCC and one of the club’s advisors. Cory encouraged David to update his resume and apply for the role.

“I was hesitant at first—my schedule was already packed with school, work, and student government,” he said. “But I’m forever thankful to Cory for pushing me as hard as she did.”

David highly recommends the internship experience and MCC Career Services to other students.

“Cory is an amazing person who will tear down the walls to find you an internship, job, or experience in the field you’re studying,” he said.

Work with MCC Career Services or learn more about opportunities